Does anyone else think pride parades go too far?

This sums up a lot of my thoughts. I'm quite a submissive person and tend to keep to myself and so I'm not the flamboyant stereotype that media soaks up. This makes coming out a lot harder because it means that people don't expect it, and I have to break down that wall their have that all gay guys are like this.

I personally don't agree with pride events in general. I just don't see being gay something to be proud of. In the same way that we don't have pride events for straight people, or coffee-lovers, or anything like that. Homosexuality is simply a small part of who I am and it's not what makes me a person. Pride events at the moment are, as you've said, too flashy. It gives people room to use phrases like "this sort of thing in gay" or "these action/clothes are gay". What would be better is just a lot of normal gay people parading together without making a fuss, showing people that the stereotypes aren't always true. Show people that being gay is part of a person, not an entity that takes over someone and makes them into one single type of person.

I'm not saying that flamboyant men are bad in any way, I just feel that they get a lot of media attention as they've become a target in terms of gay expectations, which essentially shadows everyone else, and a lot of pride events tend to support that in their current state.

 

nah

---------- Post added 17th Aug 2014 at 11:59 AM ----------

antigay relgious groups wouldnt give a shit, we already sin and need jesus with or without rainbow thongs

---------- Post added 17th Aug 2014 at 12:00 PM ----------

also pride is more because the alternative is shame and closeting which is what has happened historically here, it is the "abnormal" so having a straight pride month is like white history month, society acknowledges them as the default so they dont need it

 

I don't think so.

Pride parades are doing nothing 'wrong' - its the media's fault for focusing in on those particular aspects, and it's the consumer's fault for actually believing it.

That's what I believe, anyway. There was a similar discussion, but with beauty standards. If I can find it, I'll post it.

EDIT: Here it is. A debate on whether it's the media's fault or the consumer's fault. Maybe both? Or maybe neither? http://emptyclosets.com/forum/chit-chat/143784-sickening-obsession-perfect-body.html

EDIT: Also, might I add, it's pretty shitty when people automatically jump to conclusions, but apart of it, I think, is accepting that some of them aren't entirely offensive. But that's just my opinion.

 

Oh no, not this topic again. At least it isn't as bad as the last one which was borderline offensive.

Let's get this straight. Part of being proud of who you are is not giving a damn, that's pride. People who want to be like that in gay pride parades feel proud enough to do it, so let them do it. I wouldn't, but it's actually enjoyable to watch because it's so different from any other type of parade - it's just happy.

Accepted by the community? Trust me, you can tone down the parades and people will still find some reason to hate gays. Black pride parades were toned down post the 60's, people still found a reason to be racist. It doesn't matter anyway, polls show that people are being more accepting of gays and more than half the country approves of same sex marriage, that number is increasing on a yearly basis. Be happy and be proud.

 

I don't understand what's inappropriate here.
I don't think that human bodies are something to be ashamed of.
I don't think that some people being different from others is something that needs to be hidden.

Straight/Cis people who hate LGBT people are not going to stop doing so if we all force ourselves to blend in as much as possible. We shouldn't have to.

Your problem isn't really that gay pride parades are too ostentatious. Your problem is that straight people are stereotyping you and you don't like it. That's not the fault of people in the pride parades, that's the fault of our heteronormative society.

I'm getting pretty tired of hearing everyone blaming people who are already outsiders in society (visibly LGBT people) for the problems created by that same fucked up society.

 

I can see where you're coming from...
Growing up (without the internet) - pride parades made me confused about what it meant to be gay. Seeing Sydney Mardi Gras, Freddie Mercury, Elton John and George Michael on TV were my only points of reference.
It's different these days though, we see a lot more about LGBT people in the media than just pride.
Perhaps consider that it was BECAUSE pride was so "in your face" in the past that the media paid attention and got the ball rolling for the rights and openness that a lot of us enjoy today and the equality that we will likely enjoy in the future.

As a side note - consider maybe that it's because most of us have been brought up to believe that being 3/4 naked, inappropriately dancing, flamboyant etc.. is wrong, immoral or sinful. What's really wrong with those things though?

Peace! (*hug*)

 

I just feel it's turned into a way of making money.

 

I feel this sums up my opinion on this matter quite well

Where’s the straight Pride? It’s not fair. | JACK MONROE:

Bare in mind however that even I think walking down the street with your gentleman sausage hanging out is a bit much.

 

Pride parades are too 'over the top' for me. For that reason I tend to attend the music events later on in the day, but not the actual parade itself.

But I do realise and accept that that's just my personal preference and that it doesn't actually mean that there's anything wrong with Pride parades.

 

I agree with the OP. We fight for equality and rightfully so, but you don't see straight people naked or next to naked running down the block in huge parades. I think it's cool to be who you are in dress as long as it is tastefully done. I don't think children should be exposed to nudity. If you want to be accepted amongst larger society(which is my hope), you need to try to be family-friendly.

 

My thoughts summed up perfectly.

 

Maybe they should have pride parades if society marginalizes them.

Being gay or straight per se isn't anything to be proud of, but maintaining one's self-respect in spite of society telling that person he/she should be ashamed of him/herself is something to be proud of.

 

Well.. for me its so in you're face.. BUT the people are so happy.. so its a good celebration I guess.

 

Agreed. Seem like now that it's clear which way the wind is blowing, companies are increasingly using gay rights to market themselves for their own gain.

On a separate note, I don't really see the appeal of pride parades. It's an aspect of "gay culture" that I simply have no interest in. Can't say I get it. But if people find comfort and self-actualization from this, more power to them.

 

I'm not sure if this is trying to rebuttal, however the last part is what I was trying to get across from my message, my apologies for the lack of detail in that case.

 

I agree with you. I don't like the pride parades. It's annoying and I think it's doing the LGBT community more bad than good.

At least in the Czech Republic, which is a quite tolerant country, most people's opinion is that "I don't care about peope's sexuality and what they do at home, but these flamboyant parades are obnoxious". And I agree with that.

 

I would say that pride parades are done with good intentions...but have adverse results.

The media has come to expect a certain level of...strangeness from gay and bi people, strangeness that doesn't apply to every one of us! Nothing against the flamboyants, but people tend to see all of us as that way because thats the way the media and society portrays us.

 

Good article. It frustrates me how many people don't understand why there's a need for pride parades. People tend to be oblivious to "straight privilege".